How to be Fair

Set the same standard for employees. Of course, it’s hard not to favor someone in the workplace. There will be people who always listen to you, compliment you and even bring you freshly baked cakes, and there will also be people who are a little cooler and aloof. However, it wouldn’t be fair if you let the kind employees leave an hour earlier and made the cold employees stay late. If you want to be fair to them, get rid of prejudices about different employees and make sure they’re all treated fairly.

• Ask yourself why you actually favor one person over another. If it’s because you feel like the person you don’t like isn’t working as hard as you’d like, it’s best to talk openly with them about it instead of treating them harshly.
• If you are treating your employees favorably, someone you don’t like will see you as unfair and become disgusted with having to work for you. Equity fosters a positive work environment and people support each other; favoritism will discourage people.

Be a role model for leadership. If you want to be a fair boss, set an example for your employees. You will have to set an example for your employees with what you expect to see from them such as hard work, enthusiasm and teamwork. If you tell them one thing but do another, they won’t respect you and think you’re being treated unfairly. If you want to be fair, you can’t be strict with your employees but easy on yourself.

• If you tell employees that they have to be at work at 9 a.m. but you’re always half an hour late, they’ll think it’s unfair that you reprimand them for being late.
• If you criticize an employee for being lazy while you’re on the phone talking privately or chatting in the kitchen all afternoon, you’re not showing fairness.
• If an employee thinks you’re being unfair, they’re likely to resent you.

Set principles. Another way to be a fair boss is to set clear rules. Many times, employees think that the boss is being unfair because they do not understand the boss’s expectations. If you set clear benchmarks for employee productivity, let them know what you expect instead of getting angry or frustrated when they don’t meet your expectations. If you have specific goals in your new project, write them down so your employees understand your expectations instead of letting them guess.

• The more specific you are about your expectations, the clearer the guidelines will be. If you have a document, email, or any other piece of paper that you can turn to when an employee asks about your expectations, the rules you make will become less arbitrary and more equitable.
• If you’ve just changed your principles and expectations, it’s fairer to let employees know in advance than to surprise them later. They will appreciate your honesty and feel you are more fair.

Don’t let your biases influence your decision. If you want to be seen as fair, maintain as much objectivity as possible when hiring new employees, firing former employees, allocating responsibilities, handing over projects to employees, or other routine tasks. You can’t just hire people who have a lot in common with you, you need to pick the best fit; You can’t fire a person just because he or she upsets you, but it’s fine if it’s because he or she behaves badly. It’s important to think twice and make sure you’re doing it fairly. ^[1]

• Of course, you cannot act without prejudice. However, you will be more fair if you get in the habit of thinking carefully in the decision-making process. If you’re leaning towards a certain candidate, ask yourself if it’s because you find that person the best fit or because he compliments you the most. If you’re unhappy with an employee’s report, ask yourself if you already dislike the person.

Allow employees to speak up. While being the boss means setting rules, if you want to be fair, allow your employees to give feedback. Take the time to meet people one-on-one, ask for their opinion when needed, and be mindful of their thoughts and feelings. Even if you don’t want to be a third-party, by listening to your employees, you will create a fair work environment, and as a result, management will become easier.

• If you spend time with your employees, they will think you are a fair boss. Instead of acting like you’re too busy to ask them how, make an effort to hear what they think about the company; This will make them feel more heard.
• If you set rules and regulations without taking into account the knowledge and ideas of your employees, you may end up with a reputation as an unjust boss. Of course, sometimes only you know what’s best for the company, and you can’t just let someone run the show for you. However, if you know an employee with extensive knowledge of an issue and still decide to ignore them, this could be seen as unfair.

Sorry if you made a mistake. Just because you’re the boss doesn’t mean you never make mistakes. If you’ve behaved badly with an employee, accidentally forgot something, or simply made a mistake on the job, it’s much more fair to admit it. If you wave your hand away from admitting your fault, employees will feel very unfair when you demand too much of them while not being able to take responsibility for your own mistakes.

• If you accidentally make a mistake that affects many employees, you may need to apologize in front of the group. It’s much better to admit mistakes and expect change than to act like you’ve done nothing wrong. If employees see that you have the ability to distinguish right from wrong, they will think you are fair.

Don’t let fairness wear you down. While fairness is an important leadership quality to help keep employees happy and companies run smoothly, one study found “procedural justice” – the removal of personal biases when doing business. Working with employees, making sure to take note of all feedback, avoiding shortcuts, and so on – can cause psychological burnout for leaders. While it’s still a good idea to be a fair person, you also need to make sure you don’t let that desire for fair treatment drain you, or you’ll have a hard time making informed decisions for the company. Fairness is important, but so is taking time to relax. ^[2]

• To avoid burnout, make sure to get enough rest, eat a delicious lunch, take breaks between work, and avoid thinking about work after 7 p.m. This can help you feel energized but still a fair boss.